1990As an amateur won both the Spanish Amateur Closed Championship and the Irish Amateur Closed Championship Turned professional and gained his European Tour card at the European Tour Qualifying School at his first attempt.

1992Gained his first professional title at the Ulster Professional Championship.

1993His first European Tour victory came at the Alfred Dunhill Open, beating Sir Nick Faldo and Vijay Singh by two shots. Finished eighth in the Order of Merit that year.

1997Finished tied second in The Open Championship. Made his debut in The Ryder Cup in 1997 at Valderrama when Europe won by 14½ - 13½.

1998Won the Volvo Masters to finish second in the Order of Merit.

1999 Shot 60 in the European Open to become the only player to record to rounds of 60 in European Tour history. He first achieved the feat at the Monte Carlo Open in 1992.

2000Became the first European to win a World Golf Championship, when he beat Tiger Woods in the final of the WGC – Accenture Match Play, on his way to second in the Order of Merit.

2001 Won the European Open to became the first Irishman to win on Irish soil since John O’Leary at the 1982 Irish Open. Reached a career-high of eighth in the Official World Golf Ranking.

2003Became only the second player after Tiger Woods to win multiple WGC titles when he won the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.

2006Played a pivotal role in The Ryder Cup at The K Club amid emotional scenes just six weeks after losing his wife, Heather, to breast cancer. Carried through on a wave of support from his home fans as Europe recorded a record-equalling victory.

2008Ended a five years without a win when he won the BMW Asian Open. He went onto win the KLM Open later in the season.

2011Won the Iberdrola Open. Claimed The Open Championship to win his first Major title in his 54th Major appearance. Aged 42 years and 337 days became the oldest winner of The Open Championship since Roberto de Vicenzo in 1967.

PERSONAL PROFILE

FULL NAME Darren Christopher Clarke

COUNTRY Northern Ireland

BORN 14.8.68; Dungannon, Northern Ireland

RESIDENCE Portrush, Northern Ireland

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6ft 2½in 15st (189cm 95kgs)

FAMILY Children: Tyrone (1998), Conor (2000)

INTERESTS Films, reading, cars, fishing, Liverpool FC

TURNED PRO 1990 (plus 4)

QUALIFYING SCHOOL 1990*

EUROPEAN TOUR CAREER RECORD(After The 140th Open Championship)

EVENTS PLAYED 460

IN MONEY 367

TOP TEN FINISHES 120

OFFICIAL CAREER EARNINGS €19,426,571

EUROPEAN TOUR INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE VICTORIES: Total 141993 Alfred Dunhill Open1996 Linde German Masters1998 Benson and Hedges International Open, Volvo Masters Andalucia1999 The Compass Group English Open2000 WGC – Accenture Match Play, The Compass Group English Open2001 Smurfit European Open2002 The Compass Group English Open2003 WGC – NEC Invitational 2008 BMW Asian Open, The KLM Open2011 Iberdrola Open, The 140th Open Championship